Something's Got to Give (1962)

Director:

George Cukor

Writers:

Bella Spewack (screenplay)") &
Sam Spewack (screenplay)") ...
(more)

Genre:

Comedy | Short

Plot:

Unfinished remake of "My Favorite Wife," due to the firing of Marilyn Monroe from the film. She was eventually re-hired, but died in August, 1962. Film was never completed.

Plot Keywords:

Remake | Unfinished Film | Blonde | Lead Actor's Last Film

Cast

Marilyn Monroe	...	Ellen Wagstaff Arden
Dean Martin	...	Nicholas 'Nick' Arden
Cyd Charisse	...	Bianca Russell Arden
Tom Tryon	...	Steven Burkett / Adam
Alexandra Heilweil	...	Lita Arden
Robert Christopher Morley	...	Timmy Arden
Wally Cox	...	Shoe Salesman
Phil Silvers	...	Johnson
John McGiver	...	The Judge
Grady Sutton	...	The Judge's Clerk
Eloise Hardt	...	Miss Worth
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Steve Allen	...	Psychiatrist (uncredited)

Directed by
George Cukor

Writing credits
Bella Spewack		(screenplay "My Favorite Wife (1940)") &
Sam Spewack		(screenplay "My Favorite Wife (1940)")
Arnold Schulman		screenplay unused &
Nunnally Johnson		screenplay &
Walter Bernstein		screenplay

Produced by
Gene Allen	....	associate producer
Henry T. Weinstein	....	producer (as Henry Weinstein)
Peter Levathes	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Johnny Mercer

Cinematography by
Franz Planer
Leo Tover

Film Editing by
Tori Rodman

Art Direction by
Gene Allen

Costume Design by
Jean Louis

Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair stylist (as Sidney Guilaroff)
Allan Snyder	....	makeup artist: Miss Monroe (uncredited)

Sound Department
Richard Raguse	....	production sound (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Clyde Taylor	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Other crew
Evelyn Moriarty	....	stand-in: Marilyn Monroe (uncredited)

Thanks
George Cukor	....	dedicatee
Dean Martin	....	dedicatee
Marilyn Monroe	....	dedicatee

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Other Companies

• Alan Ett Music Group  score
• Sound Services  telecine transfers (2001 alternate version)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

37 min (2001 version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Filming Locations:

Stage 14, 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The instrumental version of "Something's Gotta Give" by Ray Anthony & His Orchestra was originally in Daddy Long Legs (1955) which starred Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron. When the digital restoration and reconstruction was undertaken for the unfinished film, 20th Century-Fox inadvertently mixed in Anthony's instrumental version of the song for Marilyn's famous 'swimming pool' sequence at no cost since Fox also produced the Astaire vehicle. A different instrumental background - originally to be for the film - can be heard in an alternate take of the swimming pool scene that appeared on a Marilyn Monroe CD compilation issued by Hollywood Soundstage; this music was eventually used later on in the film as Monroe's character is encountered by Phil Silvers as she rests nude on the edge of the pool.

Quotes:

Ellen Wagstaff Arden:Come on, the water's so refreshing! You know, after you finish doing, uh... you know.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Cinema According to Brisseau (2007) (V)

Soundtrack:

Something's Gotta Give

Interesting relic

American Movie Classics broadcast the salvaged remains of this unfinished movie in its documentary MARILYN MONROE: THE FINAL DAYS. The concept of the film is interesting, but what we see is also a bit sad since it is only a fragment which comes to an abrupt end.

The story is 1960s fluff, a sharp contrast to the turmoil both in Marilyn's life and in the country that soon would lose its innocent view of the world. Evidently numerous scenes and inserts are missing from what was filmed. For example, when Dean Martin discovers that his presumed-dead wife Marilyn is not dead, his reaction is, at most, slightly surprised.

It could have been an amusing little film which would have been remembered as Marilyn's first feature with a little bit of nudity. American Movie Classics is to be commended for letting us glimpse this tidbit of the past.